In this issue

Opinion

Facing a crisis is not only a challenge, it’s a learning experience, a chance to get better and not repeat past mistakes, says Neville Aitchison. It’s a two-step process and you need to take both steps to ensure, in the words of Jackson Browne, “the dance becomes your very own”.

Career transitioning—don’t you love the phrase? It implies non-threatening support as you move from one career to the next. The reality, says Terry Williams, can be more like a Tarantino film: no transition, just full-on drama.

Features

It’s been an award-winning year for Fletcher Building’s general manager of organisational development Jo Nicol. Topping an impressive list of achievements, she was named HR Person of the Year at the recent HRINZ Awards. Raewyn Court talks to her about the organisational renovations she has led.

Redundancy is tough, but the right career transition assistance can open the door to new opportunities. As Sally Wenley discovers, handling the process well can make all the difference—to the employee who’s leaving, and to the organisation.

“Busy-ness” and stress have become increasingly normalised in today’s workplaces. But many businesses overseas have implemented mindfulness initiatives. Tim Roberts and Stephen Archer explore the role of mindfulness in our organisations.

Figures from the latest New Zealand Diversity Survey show wellbeing/wellness and work-life balance are key challenges for our organisations. Bev Cassidy-Mackenzie asks are we really taking care of our greatest asset?

Colouring books for adults are hot right now. They’re making bestseller lists around the world, and recently filled the top two spots on Amazon. Scottish illustrator Johanna Basford’s intricate illustrations of flora and fauna in Secret Garden have sold over 1.4 million copies worldwide, and her latest title, Enchanted Forest has been reprinted after selling out of its first printing run in just weeks.

Even when organisational strategies and policies are designed to support wellbeing, the work environment and leadership practices can act as a hindrance. Anouk Kelling examines the role that leaders play in increasing organisational wellbeing.

A key driver of employee engagement comes from the level of confidence the workforce has in its senior leadership, says Leighton Abbot. He explores the role of leadership in the local government sector’s story of change.

Anyone considering a personal grievance following redundancy should consider the remedies available. To be financially viable, warns Bridget Smith, they will have to pursue a substantial lost wages payment.

You don’t have to be 100 percent fit to work, says the architect of the “fit note”, Dame Carol Black. A recent seminar organised by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians heard that being in work is good for your health, and replacing the traditional sick note with a fit note is worth considering in New Zealand. Peter Bateman reports.

Paramedics and 111 call takers are under such daily stress that after a couple of years they can suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Kristin Murray describes how Wellington Free Ambulance revamped its wellbeing programme by asking its staff, unifying its activities, and putting special focus on peer support.

The importance of being an employer who continuously engages with employees is illustrated in the case of a relieving teacher who alleged he had been constructively dismissed. Paul Robertson reports that the school was able to show that despite changing its position, its open dialogue was sufficient for the case to fail.